1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to a new Pseudomonas gladioli and a process for biologically controlling Fusarium diseases caused by Fusarium oxysporum using Pseudomonas gladioli pv. gladioli.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Soil borne plant diseases such as Fusarium wilt, Fusarium root rot etc. are caused by Fusarium oxysporum, Rhizoctonia solani, Rhizoctonia rot, etc.
A soil disease is conventionally considered one of the malignant diseases, and once a plant is infected with the soil borne diseases, it is almost impossible to control it, usually causing annihilation of the neighboring plants as well.
Various searches for new soil microorganisms which have antibacterial activity on the aforementioned plant diseases have been made, but no soil microorganisms having strong antibacterial activity have been discovered.
Miltonia is widely cultivated in Tochigi Prefecture in Japan. The present inventors discovered a new microorganism which belongs to Pseudomonas gladioli and exhibits strong antibacterial activity on Fusarium oxysporum, Rhizoctonia solani etc.
As a result of further investigation, it has been found that when a Welsh onion (Allium fistulosum L.) is inoculated with Pseudomonas gladioli, it grows rapidly in the soil. On the basis of this discovery, a process for biologically controlling plant diseases has been developed. That is to say, the plant diseases caused by Fusarium oxysporum, Rhizoctonia solani, Corticium rolfsil, Verticillium dahliae, Sclerotium cepivorum or Corynebacterium michiganese pv. michganese can be controlled by the process of this invention.
More particularly, the plants inoculated with Pseudomonas gladioli are grown together with a plant such as a bottle gourd (Lagenaria sinceraria Standl. var. hispida HARA) in the same field.